


I'll Be There

by jelly_pies



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Panic Attacks, Post-Civil War (Marvel), Tony Stark Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27699275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jelly_pies/pseuds/jelly_pies
Summary: Tony and Rhodey are left alone in the Compound after the Avengers fall apart. Rhodey has a bad day dealing with his recovery, and Tony cheers him up—but Rhodey thinks Tony could use some cheering up himself, too.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark
Comments: 15
Kudos: 31





	I'll Be There

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ravenclawlair](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenclawlair/gifts).



> Happy birthday, friend! Hope you enjoy this short piece of one of our favorite duos bonding ❤️

The Compound was quiet today. Like an old house that remains when the kids have flown the nest, and the few people left have to sweep up the mess.

Rhodey was tired of sweeping up. Tired of physical therapy, of the legs that didn't quite feel like they belonged to him again, not yet. Tired of reminiscing about the days when these halls were filled with teammates who got along. Rhodey was tired, and Rhodey wanted to build. Tony obliged.

The Avenger and soldier hadn't so much as touched a circuit board in months. But Tony handed him the tools like they were college students again instead of bone-weary heroes; Rhodey brought up the holo-screens of his leg brace blueprints; and the brothers were lost in their own world.

"Dum-dum, hand me the wrench. No, the _wrench,"_ Tony scolded his bot, who was whirring and spinning in place.

"Aw, Tones, you overworked him."

"Overworked on chugging motor oil. Fine, I'll do it myself." Tony reached over. The movement must have triggered some button or other, because Dum-E suddenly aimed his claw at the roof—and shot a quick burst from his laser.

_"Target his thrusters, turn him into a glider."_

Out of nowhere, Rhodey's heart hammered against his ribs. His head spun, blood pounding; he lowered himself to the floor, leaning against the desk, motionless legs splayed out in front of him.

_"Tony, I'm flying dead stick."_

_"Rhodes!"_

"Rhodes." He felt Tony's hand on his shoulder, but Rhodey couldn't respond. Tony mirrored his position on the floor. "Hey, buddy. Rhodey? Breathe..."

Rhodey was far from a first-timer to flashbacks and panic attacks. Breathing, yeah, he could breathe.

Facing the issue after the attack has passed was always harder.

Tony didn't even bring it up, though. "Wanna take a break? Feeling up to some cheeseburgers?" was all he said, after Rhodey's gasps of measured breathing began to slow down.

Rhodey didn't answer, only brought his hands up to his face. "I'm so tired."

* * *

Even the shared living room was quiet. Nat had gone her own way; Vision barely kept in contact… and there wasn't really anybody else. The probably overpriced sofa creaked when Rhodey dropped on top of it, even though it was a long time since any furniture in the shared living room had been at maximum occupancy.

Tony was a founding member of the Avengers. But most people forgot the people who used to live in this building were Rhodey's friends, too.

"Why did our headquarters have to be so far from civilization again?" Tony took the burgers out of the microwave, setting them down in front of Rhodey. "What idiot came up with that idea?"

"When I find out, I'll smack him," Rhodey replied.

As soon as Tony dropped beside him on the couch, Rhodey lightly smacked him behind the head.

They ate in silence, a Star Wars movie playing on mute in the background. It took Rhodey back to their college days. Heck, eating junk food with his best friend after fiddling with projects in the workshop, in an empty mansion built by a Stark for a dysfunctional family? What had changed?

The movie scene with the AT-AT walkers came on, reminding Rhodey about the airport fight. Thankfully he didn’t spiral this time. "I forgot to ask about the kid,” Rhodey said casually.

Tony looked up at the screen, piecing Rhodey's train of thought together. "We can watch something else, if this reminds you—"

"No, I just… I never got to say, that was impressive. The Spider-Kid's plan."

Tony chewed thoughtfully. "He's a good kid."

"Reminded me of this other quick-thinking genius I know."

"That guy's nothing but an ancient puddle of depression now."

"I'm not depressed, what are you talking about," Rhodey joked quickly. "Look, man, I don't mean to overstep. But I saw all your spider suit schematics. And I think that's good. We could use a little more company, you know?" Rhodey looked around the empty room. The fact was, of all the things that had been torn down the last few weeks, the young hero was a rare instance of something being built _up._ And right now… they could use some building up.

"I've got my eye on him, Platypus,” Tony said. “Just waiting for the right time, the kid’s on summer break."

"If you say so." Rhodey paused to take a bite. "But I'm not just talking about what's good for the team, you know? I'm talking about you."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm lonely?"

"Puddle of depression, you said."

"I've got you, Honeybear."

"A puddle of PTSD."

"And after _recovery,_ you're gonna throw yourself right back into being… you know." Tony waved a hand. "War Machine. Colonel Rhodes. You're gonna get up, we're gonna get up. Like we always do."

"I know you know you don't have to do this alone," Rhodey said. "But _we_ don't have to do this alone either." He didn’t say what they were both thinking: that lately, it had felt like they had to.

Tony sighed, sinking back into the giant couch occupied by two lonely people. "I haven't talked to Pepper in a long time," he mumbled; Rhodey barely heard it. "And now, the team. When you've gotten used to having more people around…"

"It's lonelier after they leave." Rhodey shrugged. "I guess I just miss the good old days."

Rhodey should have realized, it was one thing for Tony to feel lonely, and another for him to know his _friends_ were feeling lonely. Only the latter always led to direct action. Tony put on one of his scheming faces, one Rhodey really should have figured out by now.

* * *

It had been a long night in a string of long nights, with all the usual nightmares. Rhodey half-sleepwalked into the kitchen, rubbing bleary eyes—when a balloon hit him in the face.

"What the f—"

"Surprise!" an equally sleep-deprived Happy cheered unenthusiastically from the dining room. A dining room adorned with… party streamers, and mountains of pizza.

"Tony!" Rhodey called. "What's this?"

"The good old days," Tony grinned, walking in. Behind him were Rhodey's mother and niece.

They had a great reunion, all things considered—with a proper Rhodes family meal to add another throwback to their college days. Of course, Rhodey's recovery and the issue of the Accords were only fussed over about two dozen times throughout the day. But for the first time since Secretary Ross had walked into that building, the Compound was filled with cheerful voices again. Rhodey wasn’t so tired today, after all.

Tony, however, watched them all with a somewhat removed gaze. The way he kept subconsciously glancing at the door, like he was missing someone else, didn’t escape his best friend.

The get-together meant a lot to Tony too, Rhodey knew that, but it was for _Rhodey._ Where was Tony’s family? The ones he got by birth died, and the ones he'd found were gone again—except for the people in this room, a kid Tony had just started to get to know, and another person who… 

Rhodey paused. _This,_ he could actually do something about.

Tony wasn’t the only one who could plan a surprise to cheer his friend up.

* * *

"You said we could use more company, right?" Tony smiled smugly. They were back on the giant couch, Lila sandwich between her two uncles, and Rhodey’s mom chatting with Happy on the other end.

“I appreciate it, man,” Rhodey said sincerely. “By the way, I invited another friend over for dinner. I hope you don’t mind.”

Just then, Luke and the Emperor’s final confrontation began on screen; everyone snapped to attention, and Rhodey’s innocent little question slipped from Tony’s mind. In fact, Tony must have forgotten all about it—because when they all gathered again for dinner later, and Pepper Potts suddenly walked into the room, Tony’s jaw dropped like he’d forgotten they were both still on the same planet.

Let alone invited to the same dinner party by their scheming mutual friend.

“Glad you could make it,” Rhodey grinned, as Pepper moved in for a hug. She spent a few minutes asking about Rhodey’s recovery, greeting everyone else, and pointedly avoiding Tony’s sideway glances while he avoided hers.

And Rhodey spent a few minutes inwardly shaking his head at those two idiots.

To his credit, he tried not to smirk too much when Tony and Pepper finally got around to greeting each other, and their casual hug lasted a few seconds longer than either of them probably intended.

* * *

The Compound was loud today. Loud with banter, and music, and old friends catching up. The living room sofa still creaked, but only from all the extra weight. Even Dum-E, brought in to join the festivities and entertain Lila, beeped happily.

There would be enough time later for the heavy conversations. For Tony and Pepper to sneak off to the balcony on their own. For Rhodey to push forward with his physical therapy. For him and Tony to begin the work of rebuilding the Avengers from the ground up.

But today? Today was for comfort food. And Star Wars. And celebrating what they had, amidst all they had lost.

"The Avengers are your family," Steve Rogers had told Tony in his letter. But—Rhodey looked over at his best friend, smiling widely for the first time in weeks—and he felt the lightness in his own chest—and he disagreed.

He and Tony had their family right here.


End file.
